Driver in fatal wrong-way crash that killed Northville family had BAC 4 times legal limit

DETROIT – The wrong-way driver who collided into and killed a family of five from Metro Detroit had an extremely high blood alcohol level at the time of the crash.

Joey Bailey, the driver of the pickup truck, was driving the wrong way on I-75 in Kentucky for several miles before the fatal crash occurred.

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Link to fundraiser for the Abbas family.

Bailey, along with the Abbas family from Northville, was all killed in the crash.

The Fayette County Coroner's Office said Bailey had a blood alcohol level of 0.306, which is nearly four times the legal limit in Kentucky.

42-year-old Issam Abbas, and Issam's wife, 38-year-old Rima Abbas, along with their three children were killed in the crash on I-75 in Lexington, Kentucky. The couple and their children -- 14-year-old Ali Abbas, 13-year-old Isabella Abbas and 7-year-old Giselle Abbas -- were headed home from a vacation in Florida.

Lexington police said they received a report of a white pickup truck driving in the wrong direction on northbound I-75 just before 2:30 a.m. A crash was reported shortly thereafter. The truck was badly damaged and the SUV caught fire.

Rima Abbas was a well-known doctor in Garden City with Beaumont Health and the Abbas family was heavily involved in the community. Her husband, Issam, worked as a realtor in the area.


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Ken Haddad has proudly been with WDIV/ClickOnDetroit since 2013. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters, and helps lead the WDIV Insider team. He's a big sports fan and is constantly sipping Lions Kool-Aid.